Clasp brake



March 25,' 1947.

C. E. TACK ET AL CLASP BRAKE Filed Sept. 6, 1945 '3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mons.

. QQV QM QM March 25,1947,

C. E. TACK ET AL CLASP BRAKE Filed Sept. 6, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet. 3'

feb x INVENTOR S,

Zde5@c)20'%efiszfew Patentecl Mar. 25, 1947 UN I T ED STATES PATENT l O F F l 2,41s,057

CIIASP "Carl El-Tack-and Wesley AwHelsten; Qhicagg} -Ill.,

assignors to American gSteel--Foundries',=--Chicago, Ill., .a corporation df-"New- Jersey filiilliatiofl selifiiinber 6,- 1943, Serial No. 501,352

3 T ZZZGIaims.

i Our invention relates to'brakes and'z'mormarticularly'to brake 'arrangement' rfor amnway --.car truck.

- disc or rotor brake ofthe generiotype disclosed in,

=.The "present inventioncomprehends a novel with a; standard clasp brakearrangement inorder to afford acombination of the two: "typeset "brakes;

It will 'be "understood thatfthis combination is ofconsiderableadvantage in :that a disc brake customarilyiuses composition to metal braking surfaces, whereas a clasptbrakesgeneb I ally uti-lizes metalto metal braking-surfacesrand it has been found-desirable:todutilize bothitypes of surfaces in order to effect a..blending of.thet

torque characteristics thereof.

-A specific object ofour invention is to design a discbrake arrangement in-which'the' brake actuating mechanism is entirely "suspended from the truck frame. Our invention comprehends a brake frame of novel form comprising a beam extendingtrans- "v'ersely oi the truck and formed at each end thereof with a cylinder housing, said beam being afforded a pivotal and resilient torque connection intermediate its ends to" the adjacent truck'frame transom, and each of saidbylin'der housings being afforded connectionto' a gusset bracket formed at the juncturebf said transom with the adjacent siderail'of the truck f'r'ame. V in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan viewof ar ailway-car truck embodying our invention with a portion of the truck broken away. V Figure 2 is a side view of the structure' shown in 'F ig-ure 1, the right half thereof being a vieW "-in elevation and the left h'alf thereofi' beinga sectional view taken in thelongitudinal vertical 1 plane biseoting the truck-as indicatedbythe line dl -2. of Figure 1.

iFigures 3 and 4' are sectional views taken respec't-ively. in the planes indicatedeby -the' lines omitted where they are more clearlynseen inother views.

.i -sand -4 of Figure 1.

- -In: each of the figures certain details'may 'be The truck frame comprises thezspaced side rails 2, 2, the end railsd, 4, and the spaced. transoms ii and 8 intermediate said end-rails, said t'ransomsvbeing adapted for the support of a -b01--- wstep member therebetirreen in conventionalnlan- 1 181; Atreach end thereofieachsiderail 2 is' 'pro- 'vided with:spaced' pedestalrlegs or j aw's HI: 10101 oooperation in usual manner-withajiourna'l box 5=- I2 (Figure 2; right) It will "be understood 'that the journal b'oxes 'at each side of" the truck afrford s'upport for 'a-"conventional equalizer 1 4 hav- --:1ing adiacent each end thereof a spring seat 16 l forthe' subport of a'fi'spring' group; I Bysatd as at 20 "(Figure 3-), Yagai'nst-the-adjacent side rail 2 in order to afford resilient support fon thc '"trucln frame in the usual manner. The journal J boxes I l 2, i l 2 areeadapted for the reception of the -j ournalends of :the wheel-and axle assemblies 22, 22-,-eachof: said assembliesw carrying adjacent teach end thereof a brake disc or :rotorf 24'=pref- -erably- :formed as asteel' or iron casting.

z i "Disposedi adj'ao'ent each wheel andaxle assemqbly 27.1 and-- extending generally parallel :thereto ego is a 'brake frame: or beam 26 formed at each end thereof with a'Toylinder housing=28 afiording piv- '1otal 'fulcr umsas at [305 30 for brake levers 32 32 #pivotally connected-as at 34, "34 to brake heads #365136, icarrying ibrake shoes 38," 38- for frictional engagement with;opposite-sides of the adjacent 1 disc: 24x: It-"will='be--understood that the shoes- 38, r 38: rare pieferaloly v formedof conip'osition "mate- *r iaL: Ea'ch brake head fl; as best seen 'in'ZFigure 2;* 1eft;: iscprovfded with balancing means flfl. i I he1- cylinder 'housing=-28;r as' will" be understood by those skilled in the art, contains a" 'cylinder and 'a'ssociated-pistons (not shown) for actuation l. of the levers "32; 32,the:top of each housing being s \provided with i a -cover plate 42 secured. thereto as 5 at-M M and provided -with anozzlenor c0nneotion -46 fbymeans of which-actuating fluid isconcveyed to=the= cylinder :within=-thehousing.

vfE'a'ch :beam: 26- intermediate 1 its ends is providred :withtspacew arms-I 48 48 pivotally connected 6 u'byia pin iflto'a torque' bracket 52secured 'to" the Jadjacent truck frame and transom as: at 58: '58 :(Figure-) the connection--at 5n '1 being -som'ewhatresilientr by -m'eans of a composite resilient -bushings (-(Figures 2, left) said bushing being "comprising a- F plurality of metallic and resilient ibushings esleeved: one over the other as more fully describedint-the above-mentioned co pending application. As may beseena Figure 2,?1eft,

50 theatorque-bracket 52 comprises at cylindrical 1 -portion 53,:sp1it a1ong-itslower -edger- A bolt-and -nutassemblyJ 5B--is -;=providedfor clam-ping said cylindrical- -portion 53 around-:- said bush-111554. The "extremities" oi the arms 18, 48 proj ect i into slets- 60, Bfl- XEiQure BL fOrmedin the lower porally connected at 66 to a gusset bracket 68 formed at the juncture of the adjacent transom with the adjacent side rail 2 of the truck frame. Thus'it will be seen that each brake beam 26 is afi orded a three-pointsupport from the truck frame and it will be noted that the connections at66, 66 }are disposed adjacent the forward ends of the .cyl inder housings 28, 28 to afford a stable-support for the beam 26.

truck levers I6 and I8 at the left end of the truck. At the same time, the pull rod H6 moves to the left, causing a counterclockwise movement of the dead cylinder lever I26 about the pivot point I28, thus actuating the interconnected live and dead truck levers I6 and I8 at the right end of the truck.

Eaoliof the. trucklevers I6 and I8 is provided with an extension I38 at the lower end thereof for As more fully described in the above-mentioned application, when the beam is disconnected at 66, the extremities of the arms 48, 48 will bear against thetorque bracket 52 at the upper margins. of the slots 60, thus limiting rotativemovement about the pin 50 and maintaining the beam in assembled relationship with the truck frame. I

The beam 26; shown at the right in Figure 1, isprovided with a support bracket I for hand brake actuating means I2 operatively connected to the handbrake levers 14,14 projecting into the cylinder housings 28 for actuation of the levers 32, i 32 as fully described in the above-mentioned application.

Clasp brake rigging is provided for each side of the truck, said rigging comprising-live and dead truck levers I6 and I8 (Figure 2) at opposite sides'of each wheel andeach carrying a brake head 80 with a brake shoe 82 mounted thereon for engagement with the periphery of the wheel, each brake head being provided with balancing means 84 of well known form. Each. dead lever is pivotally connected at its upper end as at 86 to a bracket 90 formed on the truck frame, and intermediate its ends .said dead lever is pivotally connected as at 92 to the spaced inboard and outboard straps 94 and 96 extending above the adjacent axle for pivotal connection at 98 .to the :1ever16. 4 An air cylinder device I06 is secured at I01, I01

to the side rail'2 and comprises the piston rod I08 which is pivotally connected at I I0 to the live cylinder lever H2, which is pivotally connected inter-mediate its ends as at II4 to a pull rod II6, said lever II2 being pivotally connected at its inboard end as at II8 to clevis means I which is pivotally connected at I22 tothe adjacent live truck lever I6. The opposite end of the pull rod H6 is pivotally connected at I24 to-the dead cylinder lever I26 intermediate the ends thereof, the

outboard end-of said dead cylinder lever being pivotally connected at I28 to the automatic slack adjuster means I30 of conventional form. The

" inboard end of the dead cylinder lever I26 is pivotally connected at I32 to clevis means I34, which ispivotally'connected at I36 to the upper end of the'adjacent live truck lever I6.

7' It will be understood that in actuation of the clasp brake rigging, the piston rod I08 shown at the bottom of Figure 1 will move to the left'as seen therein, causing clockwise movement of the "'livecylinder leverI I2 about the pivot point II4,

thus actuating the interconnected live and dead connection at I40 to a tie bar I42 extending trans- 'versely of the truck and connected to the corresponding truck'lever at the opposite side thereof, thus maintaining corresponding brake heads 80, 80 at'opposite sides of the truck and their asriphery of the iron or steel wheels, whereas the brake shoes 38, 38 are preferably formed of composition for engagement with the brake discs 24, 24 formed of iron or steel, it will be understood that we obtain a blending of the torque characteristics of metal to metal and composition to metal braking materials. This is particularly desirable inasmuch as the co-efiicient of friction between composition and metallic braking surfaces tends to diminish rapidly at low speeds, thus causing a fade, whereas the co-efiicient of friction of metallic braking materials tends to increase rapidly at low speeds, thus causing the shoes to seize or bind the wheels. By means of the com- I bination of the two types of braking materials, we

are enabled to obtain a relatively smooth torque curve as compared with that which would be obtained by the use of either the disc or the clasp brake mechanism alone.

It is to be understood that we do not Wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown which'is merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. In a brake arrangement for a ra lway car truck, spaced wheel and axle assemblies each including an axle with wheels thereon and discs driven by said axle adjacent respective wheels, journal boxes associated with the ends of said assemblies, a truck frame having spaced side rails, spaced end rails, and spaced transoms joining said side rails intermediate said end rails, an equalizer mounted on the journal boxes at each side of the truck and affording a resilient support for said frame, a brake beam adjacent each assembly, cylinder housings formed on said beam at opposite ends thereof, a pivotal and resilient connection between said beam and the adjacent transom, a pivotal connection between the top ofeach housing and a gusset bracket formed at the juncture of said transom with the adjacent side rail, and friction means supported from each cylinder housing for braking cooperation with the adjacent disc, said first and secondmentioned connections being disposed at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said beam, said first-mentioned connection lying in a horizontal "plane passing through said axles and said second-mentioned connection lying in a horizontal plane passing thereabove.

- 2'. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck, spaced Wheel and axle assemblies each including'an axle with wheels thereon and discs arises? driven by axle *adjacent rrespective w-heels, journal: boxes associated with -the i endsof said assemblies; atrucl: -irame h'av'ing spaicecl side ci'ails, spaced end r'ails,-'-and spacedtransoms join- -ingsaid =side rails intermediate said end rails,

- an equalizer mounted" 011* the journal boxes at each side oithe truck and-affording a resilient support for said frame; a 'b'rake beamadjacent each-assembly; oyli-nder housings formedon said beamaat' opposite ende -thereof; a pivotal-and i l resilient connection between said beam =andlthe adjacent transom, a pivotal connection "between the top of ieach housing anda gusset bracket formed at the-juncture oi" said transom with the adjacent side -rail-fi a'nd friction means supported from each cylinder housing for braking coopera- --tion with the adjacent discpsaid friction means 1 including spaced'bralrelev-ers'pivoted Within each 1- housingand carrying-brake headswith friction 'l' shoes thereon for-engagement with opposite sides oi the-associated disc.

31 110. a brake arrangernent for a railwaycar truck, spaced wheel and axle assembliese'ach' in :.:cluding an axle with wheels thereon and discs l: driven by said alxleadjaeent respective wheels. jour-nal boxes associated with the ends of said assemblies,- a trucki frainez having spaced side ails, :spaced end rails; .and spaced transomsjoin- 'iing said side rails intermediate said end rails, r anequalizer' mounted on' the j curnal l boxes at each side" of'l the truclcl and affording a resilient s'upport' forsaid frame, a ib beam adjacent each-assembly, cylinder housings formed on said beam at opposite endsathereof, atlpivotal and resilient connection: between .said beam and the a, Ladja'oent. transom, a pivotal iconn'e'ction between the top 'of eachxliousing land a gusset bracket I formedat theijun'cture Of'LSZIiCi transom with the i adjacent side irail, andrfriction: means supported .drom each oylinderilrousing.forf'braking coopera- 1 tion' withth'e ad-j acent disc; saidlfirst mentioned J.connection'lying in a horizontal plane passing through the longitudinal: axis of said beam and usai'd axlesjand said second-mentioned connection "lyingflin. arhorizontal .planerwpassing above said beamiand'saidxaxles.

4, In a brake arrangement for a railwaycar truclzg' spaced wheel and axle" assemblies leach ini eluding an i axle vzith 'Wheels thereon and discs -':driven by'saidt axle adjacent respective wheels, journal hoxes associated with the :ends of said assemblies, a truck frame having spaced side rails, spaced iendnrailsgand spaced transoms joining 'llsaid tside'zrailsfinterniediatei(said. end rails; an Me ualizer mounted on the'journal boxes at each ,aside of the truck andw'afiording a resilient support for said frame, a brake beam adjacent each assembly, cylinderfhousingsformed onsaid beam 3 at'opposite ends thereof, apivotal and resilient connection between said beam and the adjacent ,zitransom, apivotal connection between the top J Sci. eachrhousing and a gusset bracket formed at the juncture of saidwtransonrwith the adjacent 'sideurail; and friction means supported from ,ieach cylinder housing ;for bra-king cooperation with the adjacent disa said first and secondmentioned connection's'being disposed at opposite sides OfrthB longitudinal axis of saidbeam. u 5; In a brakearrangement for a railway car truck, spaced wheel? and:ax1e assemblies each ineluding an axle With'fwheelsthereon and discs driven by said axlea'adjacent respective Wheels, I journal boxes associated with'the ends of said -asse'inblies, a truck frame havingspaced side if -railsgspaced end rails, and spaced transoins joineach assembly, cylinder housings formed on said be'am-at opposite ends thereof, a pivotal and resilient' connection between said beam and the adjacenttransom, a pivotal connection between thetop of -each housing and a gusset bracket .formed at the juncture ofsaid transom with the adjacent sidewall, and fri'ctio-n means supported lf-rom eachcylincler housingi for braking coopera- 1 tionwith the adjacent disc, said last-mentioned l connections being disposed adjacent the forward ends of said-housings.

6. In a brake arrangement for a'railway car truck, -spaced Wheel: and axle assemblies each :i' eluding an axle with wheels thereon and discs dliVBll by saidhxle adjacent respective wheels, journal boxes associated with the ends of said assemblies a truck frame having spaced side railsgspaced end rails and spaced transoms joiningsaid side rails intermediate said end rails, pedestal jaws on each side rail adjacent the ends thereof and cooperating with the adjacent journal jioxes, an equalizer mounted on the journal boxes each side of the'truck and affording a re- "silient support-for said frame, a brake beam adja'cent each assembly, cylinder housings formed n 1 a i said-beam at opposite ends thereof, a pivotal and resilient connection between said .beam and l the adjacent transom, a pivotal connection between'eachhousi'ng and a gusset bracket formed at the juncture of said transom with the adjacent 1 side rail, and friction means supported from each cylinder housing for braking cooperation with the adjacent disc.

'7. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck; spaced wheel and axle assemblies each including anaxle with wheels thereon and discs driven by said axle adjacent respective wheels, journal boxes associated with the ends of said assemblies, a truck frame having spaced side rails, spaced endr'ails, and spaced transoms joining said side rail intermediate said end rails, an

equalizer mounted on the journal boxes at each side of the truck and affording a resilient support'for said frame, a brake beam adjacent each asembly, cylinder housings formed on said beam at opposite ends thereof, a pivotal and resilient connection between said beam and the adjacent transom,a pivotalconnection between the top of each housingland a gusset bracket formedat the juncture of said transom with the adjacent side rail, and friction means-supported from Leach cylinder housing-for braking cooperation with the adjacent disc.

8. In a brake arrangement for a vehicle'cornprising a frame and spaced -supporting wheel and axle assemblies, each including an axle and a member'rotatable therewith;lbrake'mean's for i at least one I, of xsaidsassemblies comprising a 1 frame, said first andsecond-mentioned connections being disposed atopposit'e sides of theflongitudinal? axis of said isupportmembergrsaid first mentioned connection beingudisposedin a hori- Jzontall:plane passingithrough said: support member and the associated axle and said second-mentioned connection being disposed ina horizontal plane extending above said axle and in a vertical plane extending transversely of said frame and between the axles of respective assemblies.

9. In a brake arrangement for a vehicle commember and a transversely extending portion of said frame and a plurality of spaced connections between said support member and adjacent portions of said frame, certain of said connections being disposed in a vertical plane extending longitudinally of the frame and passing through said associated rotatable member and in a vertical plane extending transversely of the frame between the axles of said assemblies, and another of said connections being disposed in a vertical plane substantially parallel to the first-mentioned plane and substantially bisecting said frame longitudinally thereof, said first and second-mentioned connections being disposed at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said support member.

10. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck, a truck frame, spaced supporting wheel and axle assembliea'each including an axle and a member rotatable therewith, a brake beam extending transversely of the truck adjacent each asembly, a cylinder housing formed on said beam, a pivotal connection between said beam and a transversely extending portion of said frame, a connection between the top of said housing and said frame, and friction means supported from said housing for braking engagement with the associated of said members, said first and second-mentioned conections being disposed at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said beam, said first-mentioned connection lying in a horizontal plane passing through said axle and said second-mentioned connection lying in a horizontal plane passing thereabove.

11. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck, a truck frame, spaced supporting wheel and axle assemblies, each including an axle and a member rotatable therewith, a brake beam extending transversely of the truck adjacent each assembly, a cylinder housing formed on said beam, a pivotal connection between said beam and a transversely extending portion of said frame, a connection between the top of said housing and said frame, and friction means supported from said housing for braking engagement with the associated of said members, said last-mentioned connection being disposed at the end of said housing adjacent the associated of said members.

12. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck, a truck frame, spaced supporting wheel and axle assemblies, each including an axle and a member rotatable therewith, a brake beam extending transversely of the truck adjacent each assembly, a cylinder housing formed on said beam, a pivotal connection between said beam and a transversely extending portion of said frame, a connection between the top of said housing and said frame. and friction means supported from said housing for braking engagey axis and said second-mentioned means being disposed in a horizontal plane extending above said member. 7,

14. In a brake beam for a railway car truck, an elongated member with a cylinder housing on at least one end thereof, said member having means spaced from said housing for attaching said beam to an associated truck frame, and means on the top of said housing for attaching said beam to said frame.

15. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck comprising a truck frame and a supporting wheel and axle assembly including an axle and a brake disc, the combination of a brake beam extending transversely of said frame, a cylinder housing on said beam, a torque connection between said beam and a transversely extending portion of said frame, a connection between the top of said housing and said frame, and brake means carried by said housing for braking opposite sides of said disc.

16. In a brake beam for a railway car truck, an elongated member with a cylinder housing on at least one end thereof, means on said member spaced from said housing and adapted for connection to an associated truck frame, and means on the top of said housing for connection to said frame, said first and second-mentioned means being disposed at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said member.

17. In a brake beam for a railway car truck, an elongated member with a cylinder housing at each end thereof, means intermediate the ends of said member for connection to an associated truck frame, and means on the top of each housing for connection to said frame, said first and second-mentioned means bein disposed at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said member.

18. In a brake beam for a railway car truck, an elongated member with a cylinder housing at each end thereof, means intermediate the ends of said member for connection to an associated truck frame, and means on the top of each housing for connection to said frame.

19. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck comprising a truck frame and a supporting wheel and axle assembly including an axle, spaced wheels, and a brake rotor adjacent each wheel, the combination of a brake support member extending transversely of said frame, said member having its ends disposed inboardly of respective wheels, a cylinder housing on said member at each end thereof, a connection between the top of each housing and said frame, a torque connection between said frame and said member intermediate the ends of the latter, and brake means carried by each housing for decelerating rotation f the adjacent rotor.

20. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck comprising a truzk frame and a supporting wheel and axle assembly including an axle,

spaced wheels, and a brake rotor adjacent each wheel, the combination of a brake support member extending transversely of said frame, said member having its ends disposed inboardly of respective wheels, a cylinder housing on said member at each end thereof, a pivotal connection between the top of each housing and said frame at one side of the longitudinal axis of said member, a pivotal and resilient torque connection between said frame and said member intermediate the ends of the latter and disposed at the opposite side of said axis, and friction means carried by each housing comprising brake shoes at opposite sides of the adjacent disc for braking engagement therewith.

21. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck comprising a truck frame and a supporting wheel and axle assembly including an axle, spaced Wheels, and a brake rotor adjacent each wheel, the combination of a brake support member extending transversely of said frame, said member having its ends disposed inboardly of respective wheels, a cylinder housing on said member at each end thereof, a pivotal connection between the top of each housing and said frame at one side of the longitudinal axis of said member, a pivotal and resilient torque connection between said frame and said member intermediate the ends of th latter and disposed at the opposite side of said axis, friction means carried by each housing comprising brake shoes at opposite sides of the adjacent disc for braking engagement therewith, and brake means for each wheel disposed outboardly of the adjacent end of said support member,

22. In a brake arrangement for a railway car truck comprising a truck frame and a supporting wheel and axle assembly including spaced wheels, an axle, and a brake rotor intermediate said wheels, the combination of a brake support member extending transversely of said frame, said member having its ends disposed inboardly of respective wheels, a cylinder housing on said member adjacent said rotor, and means connecting said member to said frame, said means comprising a connection between the frame and the top of said member adjacent each end thereof, and a connection between the frame and said member intermediate the ends thereof, and brake means carried by said housing for braking cooperation with said rotor.

CARL E. TACK.

WESLEY A. HELSTEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,284,484 Eksergian May 26, 1942 2,236,898 Eksergian Apr. 1, 1941 2,251,668 Eksergian Aug. 5, 1941 2,276,337 Pflager Mar. 17, 1942 2,334,024 Nystrom et a1 Nov. 9, 1943 1,998,976 Baselt Apr. 23, 1935 2,211,888 Farmer Aug. 20, 1940 2,228,818 Eksergian Jan. 14, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 485,143 German Nov. 27, 1929 

